Many makeup brands prioritize Gen Z these days, but as someone in her 40s who is considered an elder millennial, I don’t care much about anyone’s target audience. I like what I like, especially when it involves a showstopping eye look. While I appreciate a playful aesthetic with my makeup, it still needs to feel and look right for a wise and refined lady such as myself.
Enter Neen. The brainchild of celebrity makeup artist and Stila founder Jeanine Lobell, Neen pairs Gen Z’s affinity for technology and tutorials with high-performance, consciously formulated products that makeup lovers of all ages can appreciate. Surprisingly, I first heard about Neen through a non-editor friend who is also in her 40s shortly after its launch in March 2022.
The appeal was instant. Over on TikTok, the hashtag for #neen has 13.5M views. It’s not surprising—an industry veteran like Lobell knows what she’s doing. Always the innovator, Lobell conceived the idea of a monthly subscription card containing makeup samples and a QR code leading to a set of video tutorials. Subscribers get the total subscription cost in store credit. The idea is that people can test the product (or "date before you get married,” as the website states) before committing to a full-size purchase, resulting in less waste and less clutter.
Even though these forward-thinking concepts clearly speak to Gen Z, they weren’t Lobell’s primary focus. "When I launched Neen, it was really age-agnostic. We’ve never been for or not for certain ages. I strive to innovate and create products that speak to makeup lovers of all types,” Lobell tells Who What Wear. "I think it’s more about a mindset—a psychogeographic—than an age demographic. The way to do this? Just always create the best in the formulation.”
Neen’s lineup features gloriously pigmented single shadows and mini palette trios, hydrating lip glosses, and creamy eye pencils, among other products. The brand’s newest release is the Going Steady Longwear Lip Color, a dreamy matte liquid lipstick in four bold shades.
According to Lobell, the lipstick had been in development for a while. The team was just waiting for everything to come together, and the timing couldn��t be better. "The holiday season always feels like a good time to introduce a bold lip, especially a hydrating and highly pigmented option,” she says.
I could not test these matte lipsticks fast enough. The colors are rich, and the formula is velvety soft. I’ve been wearing them every day since.
Ahead, see my favorite Neen picks and more tips from Lobell.
When it comes to us 40-plus babes, Lobell says Neen’s Going Rouge cream cheek product is popular: "It's super easy to use on lips and cheeks. It’s so hydrating that it melts into the skin and just gives the right glow and color.”
Sustainability is a significant part of Neen’s ethos. These shadows come in refillable silicone compacts, which are one of my favorite things about Neen. This shimmery blue, Scream, is something that I’ve been looking for my entire life!
Beam, a champagne-like shimmer, is Neen’s best-selling shade. Even though I love bold colors more, I still need some neutrals in my stash, and I love how Neen offers a good mix of both.
This highlighter is what got me into highlighters again, no joke. The formula is unbelievable. It glides onto my skin and melts in like magic. (It must be the combination of plant oils, including avocado, camellia, and sunflower.) So gorgeous!
These eyeliners go on super smooth. My only complaint? I need more than two shade options! In the meantime, I’ll be obsessed with this pastel-blue one.
These pressed-pigment trios are so handy for touch-ups and travel because you can throw it in your purse or cosmetic bag without having to pack a full-size palette. It comes with both shimmers and matte finishes, so what else do you need?
With these glosses, you get high-powered shine and nourishment without any stickiness thanks to avocado, rose hip, sunflower, and jojoba oils. I love this shade. It comes across as an intense purple in the tube but ends up the perfect swipe of a sheer berry on your lips.
I can be picky with mascara, but Neen gets it right. The fluffy brush adds volume and length, and castor-seed and argan oils keep my lashes in tip-top shape.
This article was written at an earlier date and has been republished.
